Several devices require signal processing to be performed on alternating current (AC) waveforms to amplify and rectify the waveforms so that they can be used by downstream circuitry. In particular, many devices include current feedback circuitry having a current sensor that is applied to a conductor that is carrying AC current. The current sensor generates a signal (“sensed signal”), having an AC waveform, indicative of a level of current flow being carried by the current carrying conductor. In order to process the sensed signal, some downstream circuitry, such as microprocessors and digital signal processors, require that the sensed signal is rectified, and then digitized by an analog-to digital converter. In these devices, the current feedback circuitry must not only rectify the sensed signal, but may need to amplify the sensed signal in order to utilize the dynamic range of the analog-to-digital converter.
One type of current feedback circuitry that has been utilized to rectify and amplify the sensed signal includes a traditional full wave rectifier and a pair of cascaded amplifiers (e.g., first stage amplifier and second stage amplifier).
Another type of current feedback circuit that has been utilized to rectify and amplify the sensed signal includes a half wave rectifier.